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Jan Verkolje
Jan Verkolje or Johannes Verkolje (9 February 1650 (baptized) – 8 May 1693 (buried)) was a Dutch painter, draughtsman and engraver. He is mainly known for his portraits and genre pieces of elegant couples in interiors and, to a lesser extent, for his religious and mythological compositions. He was a gifted mezzotint artist. Trained in Amsterdam, Verkolje spent his active professional career iLien Delft where he had access to powerful patrons.
Verkolje was born in Amsterdam, the son of Benjamin Jacobsz, a locksmith, and Maria Tonnes. He was baptized in the Nieuwezijds Kapel in Amsterdam on 9 February 1659.
The early artist biographer Arnold Houbraken recounts that Verkolje was a child prodigy, who became a self-taught artist after hurting himself while playing with darts as a child. As the injury on his heel or ankle did not heal well he was bedridden for years. To while away the time, he started to copy prints. The artist Jan Gerritsz van Bronckhorst gave him high-quality prints to copy. Thus started his artistic career according to Houbraken. Subsequently, Jan studied for about half a year with Jan Andrea Lievens (1644–1680), the son of the prominent painter Jan Lievens.
In 1672, the so-called rampjaar (disaster year), which was marked by a large-scale invasion of the Dutch Republic by French and other armies, Verkolje moved from Amsterdam to Delft. Here he married Judith Voorheul in October 1672. He became a member of the Guild of St. Luke of Delft in 1673 and served as its dean between 1678 and 1688. Verkolje was very successful and enjoyed the patronage of important patrons in Delft as well as the court in the Hague. As a portrait painter his only competitor in Delft was Cornelis de Man.
His sons Nikolaas Verkolje and Jan II (Delft, 1683 – Amsterdam, 1755) were trained by Verkolje as painters. Nikolaas had a successful career. Verkolje's other pupils included Albertus van der Burch, Joan van der Spriet, Willem Verschuring, and Thomas van der Wilt. In addition to these pupils, Houbraken also mentions Henrik Steenwinkel.
Verkolje died in Delft, in 1693, aged 43 when he was at the peak of his fame. He was buried in the Oude Kerk (Delft). He left a wife, three sons and two daughters.
Verkolje was a versatile artist who worked as a painter, draughtsman and engraver. His subject matter was mainly portraits and genre scenes. He was also a gifted mezzotint artist, who according Houbraken, discovered the technique on his own.
Verkolje was a prolific portrait artist who created portrait paintings, drawings, and prints. In his portrait work Verkolje was representative of the style then current in The Hague and Amsterdam rather than that in vogue in Delft. Verkolje was much in demand as a portraitist and was able to fetch high prices for his portraits. His sitters were a who's who of Delft society of his time: the scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (whom he portrayed on canvas and in mezzotint), the prominent lawyer and bailiff Johan de la Faille and his wife (both works are in the Wadsworth Atheneum), the vicar Cornelius van Aken, the painter Pieter Jansz van Asch, and the burgomaster and historian Dirk van Bleiswijk.
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Jan Verkolje
Jan Verkolje or Johannes Verkolje (9 February 1650 (baptized) – 8 May 1693 (buried)) was a Dutch painter, draughtsman and engraver. He is mainly known for his portraits and genre pieces of elegant couples in interiors and, to a lesser extent, for his religious and mythological compositions. He was a gifted mezzotint artist. Trained in Amsterdam, Verkolje spent his active professional career iLien Delft where he had access to powerful patrons.
Verkolje was born in Amsterdam, the son of Benjamin Jacobsz, a locksmith, and Maria Tonnes. He was baptized in the Nieuwezijds Kapel in Amsterdam on 9 February 1659.
The early artist biographer Arnold Houbraken recounts that Verkolje was a child prodigy, who became a self-taught artist after hurting himself while playing with darts as a child. As the injury on his heel or ankle did not heal well he was bedridden for years. To while away the time, he started to copy prints. The artist Jan Gerritsz van Bronckhorst gave him high-quality prints to copy. Thus started his artistic career according to Houbraken. Subsequently, Jan studied for about half a year with Jan Andrea Lievens (1644–1680), the son of the prominent painter Jan Lievens.
In 1672, the so-called rampjaar (disaster year), which was marked by a large-scale invasion of the Dutch Republic by French and other armies, Verkolje moved from Amsterdam to Delft. Here he married Judith Voorheul in October 1672. He became a member of the Guild of St. Luke of Delft in 1673 and served as its dean between 1678 and 1688. Verkolje was very successful and enjoyed the patronage of important patrons in Delft as well as the court in the Hague. As a portrait painter his only competitor in Delft was Cornelis de Man.
His sons Nikolaas Verkolje and Jan II (Delft, 1683 – Amsterdam, 1755) were trained by Verkolje as painters. Nikolaas had a successful career. Verkolje's other pupils included Albertus van der Burch, Joan van der Spriet, Willem Verschuring, and Thomas van der Wilt. In addition to these pupils, Houbraken also mentions Henrik Steenwinkel.
Verkolje died in Delft, in 1693, aged 43 when he was at the peak of his fame. He was buried in the Oude Kerk (Delft). He left a wife, three sons and two daughters.
Verkolje was a versatile artist who worked as a painter, draughtsman and engraver. His subject matter was mainly portraits and genre scenes. He was also a gifted mezzotint artist, who according Houbraken, discovered the technique on his own.
Verkolje was a prolific portrait artist who created portrait paintings, drawings, and prints. In his portrait work Verkolje was representative of the style then current in The Hague and Amsterdam rather than that in vogue in Delft. Verkolje was much in demand as a portraitist and was able to fetch high prices for his portraits. His sitters were a who's who of Delft society of his time: the scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (whom he portrayed on canvas and in mezzotint), the prominent lawyer and bailiff Johan de la Faille and his wife (both works are in the Wadsworth Atheneum), the vicar Cornelius van Aken, the painter Pieter Jansz van Asch, and the burgomaster and historian Dirk van Bleiswijk.